Animal-trap.



PATENTED DEG. 27, 1904.

J. KERNS.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLIGATION FILED sBPT.7.1904.

WITNESS/5S.

Qi? C @W No. 778,675. (PATENTED DEC. 27, 1904. J, KBRNS.

ANIMAL TRAP,

APPLICATION FILED SEPT, 7l 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/TIVESSES: /NVENTH UNITED STATES Patented December 2'7, 1904.

PATENT OEEICE.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 778,67 5, dated December 27, 1904.

Application letl September '7, 1904. Serial No. 223,577.

To n/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN KEENs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of l/Vest New York, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and lmproved Animal-Trap, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a new and improved animal-trap, more especially designed for trapping alive fish, crabs, and other animals, the trap being simple and durable in construction, easily set, and quick in action.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as will be more fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a perspective view of the improvement in a set position. Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement, and Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the supporting and tripping mechanism for the basket.

On a base A, preferably made of wire-netting, is erected a central post B, on which is mounted to slide a tubular bearing C', secured to and forming part of a basket O, also made of wire-netting and disposed in inverted form over the base A, so that when the basket O is in a lowermost position its lower open end is closed by the base A. Then the basket O is in a raised position, as illustrated in Figs. l and 2, then the animals can pass between the base A and the lower end of the basket to the interior thereof for getting at the bait, as hereinafter more fully explained.

The basket is preferably made collapsible, so as to allow of conveniently folding it up into comparatively little space for conveniently carrying the trap to the place where it is to be used. For the purpose described the basket C comprises a bottom O2, to the middle of which a bearing O is secured, and on the edges of the bottom C2 are fulcrumed the sid es able fastening devices, such as hooks Ci, pivoted to one side and engaging a staple C5 on an adjacent side.

rl`he basket O is pressed on at the upper face of the bottom O2 by a spring D, coiled around a core D@ held loosely on the upper end of the post B, and the upper end of the said spring D abuts against a collar E, attached to the upper end of the post B. In order to hold the basket O in a raised position against the tension of the spring D, a spring-arm F is provided having `a head F, adapted to engage the lower end of the bearing O, so as to hold the latter, and consequently the basket C, in an uppermost or raised position, as plainly shown in Figs. 1. and 2.

rlhe spring-arm F is ad justably secured to the foot of the post B by means of a bolt F2 screwing in the said foot and passing through an elongated slot F3, formed in the bottom iiange F'L ofthe arm F. A trigger G is fulcrumed on the head F and is adapted to rest with one end, G', against the side of the post B, the other end of the trigger being arranged to receive the bait, so that when the animal exerts a downward pull on the bait, and thereby imparts a swinging motion to the trigger G, then the end Gr thereof bearing against the post B causes the spring-arm F to swing outwardly to disengage the head F' from the lower end of the bearing C', thus releasing the basket, which now slides quicklydownward by its own weight and the aid of the spring D to entrap the animal alive within the basket O now closed by the base A. lf desired, the trigger G instead of being inclined upwardly, as shown in Fig. 2, may be held in a downwardly-inclined position, as shown in Fig. 3, it being necessary in this case for the animal to exert an upward pull on the trigger G in order to release the basket.

rlhe basket C and the base A are preferably rectangular in shape, as indicated in Fig. l, and in order to hold the sides of the basket O in alinement with the sides of the base a rod H is provided, secured to the upper end of the basket and extending loosely through an aperture in the collar E. The post B may be C3, adapted to be fastened tOgGhGl by Suit' 5o engaged by a flexible support, such as a rope or chain, to allow of conveniently lowering the trap down into the water or other place after the trap is set.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the trap is very simple and durable in construction, can be cheaply manufactured and easily set up, and the trap can be readily lowered into the water for the ish, crabs, &c., to get to the bait and to become entrapped alive within the basket C, as previously explained.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentu l. An animal-trap comprising' a post, an inverted basket having a central bearing slidably mounted on the post, an arm for engaging' the bearing to support the basket in a raised position, and a trigger connected with the said arm for disengaging it from the said bearing.

2. An animal-trap comprising' a post, an inverted spring-pressed basket having a central bearing slidably mounted on the said post, a spring-arm Jfor engaging the lower end of the bearing, to support the basket in a raised position, and a trigger fulcrumed on the spring-arm and bearing against the said post.

3. An animal-trap comprisinga base, a post erected centrally thereon and provided with an apertured'collar at its upper end, an inverted basket having a central bearing sliding on the post, the open lower end of the basket being adapted to rest on the said base for the latter to close the basket, a rod secured to the upper end ofthe basket and extending loosely through the aperture of the collar of the post, and a supporting and releasing device for the said basket.

4. An animal-trap comprising a base, apost erected centrally thereon, an inverted basket having a central bearing sliding on the post, the open lower end of the basket being adapted to rest on the said base, for the latter to close the basket, an arm for engaging' the bearing to support the basket in a raised position, a trigger connected with the arm for disengaging it from the bearing, and a spring coiled on the upper end of the post and bearing on the top of the basket.

5. An animaletrap comprising a base, a post erected centrally thereon, an inverted basket having a central bearing sliding on the post, the open lower end of the basket being adapted to rest on the said base, for the latter to close the basket, and a supporting and releasing device for the said basket, consisting of a spring-arm adapted to engage the lower end of the said bearing, and a trigger fulcrumed -on the said spring-arm and bearing against the said post.

6. An animal-trap comprising a base, a post erected centrally on the base and provided with an apertured collar at its upper end, an inverted basket having a central bearing sliding on the post, a spring between the collar of the post and the basket, a rod secured to the basket and working freely in the aperture oi' the collar of the post, an arm for engaging the bearing to hold the basket in a raised position, and a trigger connected with the arm for disengaging it from the bearing.

7. An animal-trap comprising a base, a post erected centrally thereon, an inverted collapsible basket formed of a bottom having a cen` tral bearing sliding on the post, and sides hinged to the bottom and detachably connected with each other, the open lower end of the basket being adapted to rest on the said base, for the latter to close the basket, and a supporting and releasing device for the said basket.

8. An animal-trap provided with a collapsible basket comprising a bottom having a central tubular bearing projecting from the inner face thereof, sides hinged to the bottom, and locking devices for locking adjacent sides one to the other.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOI-IN KE RNS.

Vitnesses:

THEO. G. Hos'rER, EVERARD BoL'roN MARSHALL. 

